Nearly 1 in 5 jobs posted online may not lead to a hire, prompting lawmakers to push for greater transparency, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Job seekers can spend hours applying for roles that employers have no immediate plans to fill. New data suggests the problem is widespread: about 19% of jobs advertised on digital job boards in the second quarter were classified as ghost jobs, according to Greenhouse. The hiring platform counted postings that received at least one application but produced no hiring activity, such as interviews or job tests.
Some employers keep these listings active to build a pool of potential candidates for future openings. Others may put hiring on hold after a position is posted or decide to fill it internally.
States Are Moving to Crack Down
The issue is now drawing attention from lawmakers. New York passed legislation requiring employers to provide information about when advertised positions are expected to be filled and remove listings after they are filled. The bill also includes fines for violations.
In Pennsylvania, legislation introduced by state Rep. Jim Prokopiak would similarly require employers to provide accurate information about their hiring plans and establish timelines for removing job postings.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also opened an investigation into LinkedIn over whether its job listings could mislead users about genuine hiring opportunities.
LinkedIn said its policies require job postings to be authentic and accurately represented. The company also said some listings show information such as employer response times and whether candidates are currently being reviewed.
Job Seekers Say Repeated Listings Are Making Things Worse
For people searching for work, ghost listings can add another layer of frustration to an already difficult process.
Heather Sanford, a marketing professional in the Austin area, said she has applied for more than 3,000 jobs since her contract ended in May 2025. She has sometimes seen positions reposted after receiving no response to her application.
The problem can also make online job numbers difficult to interpret. Government employment data does not capture ghost jobs because the Labor Department’s definition of a job opening requires employers to be actively recruiting for a position that could begin within 30 days.
Economic uncertainty can also cause legitimate openings to disappear. Employers may pause approved positions, reconsider whether they need to hire externally or decide to fill a role with an existing employee.
That means a job posting can remain online even when the employer’s plans for the position have changed.
